Under the slogan 'A world you like. With a climate you like', the European Commission has launched a pan-European communication campaign which seeks to put practical solutions at the centre of the climate change debate and demonstrate how climate action can increase welfare and bring economic benefits to citizens.
Running until the end of 2013, the campaign aims to showcase existing cost-efficient solutions for achieving the EU's objective of an 80-95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The campaign is a follow-up to the Commission's Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050, which sets out pathways for deep but cost-effective emission reductions by the main economic sectors.
Across Europe there are abundant examples of intelligent, innovative climate solutions that reduce CO2 pollution while also improving people's quality of life. For example, Stockholm's central rail station converts the excess body heat of commuters into heat for a nearby office building, reducing not only emissions but also the building's energy bill by 20-25%.
Such "win-win" solutions ľ where saving money, time and emissions go hand in hand ľ are at the heart of the campaign.
Centred on a website available in all 23 EU languages, the campaign is designed as a participatory platform where individuals, businesses and local groups can upload, promote and discuss their low-carbon solutions and take part in a pan-European contest to find the best and most original ones. Partnerships with like-minded organisations, including business associations, universities, non-governmental organisations and government institutions, are a central part of the campaign.